The third World Golf Championship of the year gets underway this week from Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. The top-50 players in the world will all be in action this week, and having won this championship eight times in the past, Tiger Woods will be among them after squeaking into the event thanks to an excellent performance at the Open Championship.

A par-70 that measures 7,400 yards with narrow, tree-lined fairways awaits the players this week. Long, tight and always tricky, players will need their ball striking to be at its absolute best this week if they are going to succeed at Firestone. With only one reachable par-5 in play, there will be an emphasis on par-4 performance, while other key areas to research this week will be tee-to-green play as well as ball striking.

In 2017, Hideki Matsuyama blew away the field posting a total of 16-under par to claim the title and defeat Zach Johnson, who finished runner-up by five strokes. This year will be the final time that Firestone will host the prestigious event, as the tournament will move to Memphis next year.

Selected Tournament Odds (via Bet365)

• Dustin Johnson 7/1
• Rory McIlroy 11/1
• Tiger Woods 12/1
• Justin Rose 14/1
• Jordan Spieth 16/1
• Rickie Fowler 20/1
• Jason Day 20/1

Opinions will be split on Tiger Woods (12/1, DK Price $10,800) this week, but I’ve seen more than enough to believe he can make it a remarkable win number nine at Firestone. Looking at the layout of the golf course, you wouldn’t think Firestone would be the ideal setup for Woods. Tight fairways, lush rough and plenty of trees punishing wayward drives would appear less than good news for Woods, but it has always been a golf course that fits his eye.

Woods has bullied Firestone in the past, and his performance at Carnoustie just two weeks ago gives me plenty of confidence that he can do it once more. Woods was excellent all week at the Open Championship. He overcame the lousy end of the draw to keep himself in contention and give himself an opportunity for victory on Sunday. No, he didn’t close it out, but it’s far too early to say that Woods has lost his killer instinct. It would be only fitting should he once more show his ruthlessness this week at Firestone. The truth is that there is far less pressure on Woods to win a PGA Tour event than a major championship, and I think that the doubts surrounding his ability to close out an event are premature.

Over his previous 24 rounds, Woods ranks third for Strokes Gained-Tee to Green, 11th in Ball Striking and first for Strokes Gained-Around the Green. When Woods last won at Firestone back in 2013, he did so by putting on a clinic with his irons. Woods brought the course to its knees that year with devastating approach shots, and in 2018 his iron play has been sublime. Over his previous 24 rounds, Woods ranks second in the field for Strokes Gained-Approaching the Green. The former World Number One knows how to get the ball in the fairway at Firestone, and his iron play and short game are both in ideal shape for him to launch another challenge at one of his favorite courses.

The only man who has hit his irons better than Woods recently on the PGA Tour is Henrik Stenson (33/1, DK Price $9,000). Stenson ranks first in the field for Strokes Gained-Approaching the Green over his last 24 rounds, and it’s that imperious ball striking that makes Stenson a massive threat at Firestone. With four top-10 finishes in his last eight starts on the PGA Tour, Stenson has shown some excellent consistency, and he will be excited to get back to a golf course where he has performed superbly over the years. In his last four appearances at this championship, Stenson has finished no worse than T19. Over the past five years, the Swede sits third for Strokes Gained-Total at Firestone despite not playing the event in 2016.

It’s a surprise that Stenson has never won this title in the past, as he has the elite ball striking that is a perfect fit for Firestone. Over his last 24 rounds, Stenson sits second in the field for Ball Striking and fifth for Strokes Gained-Total, which suggests you can expect a big challenge from him this week. Stenson has also played the par-4’s tremendously well recently, and he sits fifth in par-4 performance over his last 24 rounds. The injury that Stenson suffered before the Open Championship seems not to be significant as he battled his way to a T35 finish that week. Considering the way he has been hitting the ball in 2018 and his excellent course form around Firestone, Stenson looks overpriced to have a big week in Akron.

Despite suffering a miserable week at The Open Championship, Emiliano Grillo (125/1, DK Price $7,100) is priced low enough for me to be interested once again. The Argentine’s ball striking has been excellent all year, and he possesses the game to compete at Firestone. Hitting fairways this week will be imperative, and Grillo is one of the best in the game at that, finding more than 70 percent of his fairways this season. Grillo ranks 15th in Ball Striking and fifth in Strokes Gained-Putting over his last 24 rounds and has proven in the past that he can play Firestone well, finishing T14 here in 2016. Should Grillo take his excellent ball striking onto Firestone, then he should enjoy a solid week, and he looks a steal at a low salary.

Recommended Plays

• Tiger Woods 12/1, DK Price $10,800
• Henrik Stenson 33/1, DK Price $9,000
• Emiliano Grillo 125/1, DK Price $7,100